The Labor enquirer., 1887-06-18
AHoHYMIA.

The follow ng telegram sent all over the
country justin 'my giving to the public Pow.
derly's own statement regarding his attempted
" assassination" (3):
PITTsBURG, Pa, June Io.-Last summer
the Leader Of this citypublished an intimatiou
Of suspected plot in the Knights Of Labor tc
get away with Powderly. At that time PROOF
OF the assertions made by some of the knights
could not be secured. The general officers
professed to believe that the whole story spfanp
from reportoral brain. Additional light
was thrown on the matter Thursday by man
who stands high in the order. Ralph Beau
mont, Of Elmira, N. Y, labor lecturer oi
national reputation, arrived in the city Thurs
day. In a conversation upon the trouble
among the carpet weavers Of District No. I26
Of New York Mr.. Beaumont said: "That
difficulty don't amount to much. There can
never be any peaae between Powderly and
John Morrison Of that district. Powderly
firmly believes that Morrison made an attempt
to murder him. With an idea of that kind
Powderlys opposition to Morrison cannot be
wondered at"
Now, when Powderly had his "secret''
meeting in Denver this very same question
came up and extract from the verified re-
port Of the meeting the following interesting
dialogue. In that same report there are many
other interesting things:
HAsKELL-What is this story about your
attempted assassination We should like to
hear that.
PowDERLY-Well, some years ago in New
York when the Home Club was fighting me
got an anonymous letter.
NEAsHAM (interrupting)-Yes, he got one
Just before he got to Denver, too, warning
him that the Anarchist were going to kill him.
HAsKELL-Indeed3
NEAsHAM-Yes, that's the reason the mill
tary were there last night. We were pre-
pared
HAsKELL-Ah, and SO yon are responsible
for the troops, are you? N
CHAIRMAN-The gentlemen will please
come to order. Mr. Powderly, you can pro-
ceed.
PowDERLY-Well, | got an anonymous
letter warning me not to cross the ferry the
next day or | would be killed. But / deter.
mined to 60. Inever back out of danger
was told would be killed if came here, but
came. That made me come [Great ap.
plause.
HAsKELL-Who thus threatened you, sir I
Tell us and we will see him punished.
PowDERLY-Well the threat was anony-
nous.
HAsKELL--If you will furnish us with the
letter we will endeavor to hunt the rascal
down.
PowEpRLY-Oh, don't care to pursue the
matter further. As | was saying, went on
board the boat. did not go into the cabin
with the crowd. went to the bow Of the
steamer and leaned up against one Of the chain
posts so that anybody who wanted to push me
in might have clear field. | saw man
walking up and down the deck. He looked
at me. was convinced he was the assassin.
Iput my arm firmly around the post and
looked him sternly in the eye. He continued
to walk the deck until the vessel entered the
dock. He went ashore and then l released
my hold and also went ashore.
HAsKELL-And then1
PowDERLy--Oh, that's all. am convinced
that my coolness and irmness saved my life.
[Very faint applause.
HAsKELL-And was it the "Home Club"
that was guilty Of this DIABoLIcAL plot
PowDERLy-I don't know. But | have
suffered for the order and am worn out. 1t
is getting rather late
Here is evidence enough to convict Mr..
Morrison, and | respectfully refer his case to
the next grand jury that meets in the city Of
New York.